Theatre
Review
Review: Rent
The 30th anniversary revival starring Gaten Matarazzo gathers an excellent ensemble to deliver a still-urgent message
The Tom Stoppard (formerly the Duke of York’s) is hardly the home of grassroots theatre, but Luke Sheppard’s Rent revival manages to capture something crucial to the original musical: a love and respect for community-led art. In David Woodhead’s drafty loft, lit through large, smudgy windows by Howard Hudson, cast and audience members alike gather on stage to watch the proceedings, transforming the prestigious theatre into an in-the-round performance space. And the young cast, although with a polish and power far beyond what you’d expect to find in your average community space, tackle Jonathon Larson’s musical with all the heart, energy and fight that it deserves.
In many aspects the production is a recreation rather than a reimagining – fans of the show will find a reverence for the original here – but the decision to have the cast present throughout, surrounding the stage along with a contingent of audience members, is a wise update. Dressed in Gabriella Slade’s 90s grunge, the ensemble jump in and out of scenes where required, but they never fade into the background. This is a show about holding each other up, after all.
Stranger Things’ Gaten Matarazzo makes his West End debut as Mark, the filmmaker and bohemian hanger-on, documenting the artistic efforts and daily struggles of his group of friends, many of whom are HIV-positive. Matarazzo is unsurprisingly warm and genuine in the role, playing a very likeable Mark, with a great knack for drawing out the humour between the heavy moments.
He holds his own in a very strong ensemble cast. Travis Ross is moving as grieving musician Roger, whilst Alexa Lopez makes a fantastic West End debut as fiery but fragile addict Mimi. The two tiptoe around a romance, until the discovery that they are both HIV-positive allows them to fall into it. Rising alt-pop star Lazy Violet plays the provocative Maureen, with Danielle Fiamanya is her level-headed lover Joanne. The two do an admirable job with one of the night’s most anticipated numbers: the belt-battle duet ‘Take Me Or Leave Me’.
The production’s stand-outs though are Billy Nevers as gentle giant Collins and Jeevan Braich as his drag queen other half, Angel. The pair riff to the heavens but keep pace with each other vocally so well that it isn’t hard at all to buy into them as soulmates. As their story finds its forgone conclusion, Nevers’ reprise of their duet ‘I’ll Cover You’ is the unexpected high point of the night.
It’s been said before that Rent isn’t the most subtle of shows – something that begins to matter less as we move further away from its time, and arguably something that should never have mattered at all. It’s true that in Larsen’s musical capitalism is a pantomime villain, love happens near-instantaneously, and heartstrings aren’t just plucked, but forcibly wrenched. But in an age where the popular voice becomes increasingly cynical and detached, it’s refreshing to return to Rent’s insistence that we feel our feelings. Maureen reminds us to make bad art with good intentions. Mark tells us that creation is the best way to escape feeling powerless. Luke Sheppard’s revival is a period piece in many ways, but it’s also an urgent voicemail from our own past: nothing is guaranteed, not security, not success, and certainly not tomorrow. Love is the best legacy. Let’s measure our lives in it.
Rent is currently booking at the Tom Stoppard Theatre until 29 May – find your tickets here
